Vayu Purana - English Translation - Part 1 of 2

UNESCO

PARIS

1

l

MOTILAL B ANARS ID ASS
Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi 110

Branches

Chowk, Varanasi 221 001
Ashok Rajpath, Patna 800 004
120 Royapettah High Road, Mylapore, Madras

Copyright €> 1987 by Motilal Banarsidass

ISBN: 81-208-0332-9

UNESCO COLLECTION OF REPRESENTATIVE WORKS — Indian S<

This book has been accepted in the Indian Translation
Series of the Unesco Collection of Representative
Works jointly sponsored by the United Nations
Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) and the Government of India.

\ *- s

«****• ^ * 0*3 f

m / *J Xr

iBk ARY

- 1 *8$
Book

,0^

PRINTED IN INDIA

BY JAINENDRA PRAKASH JAIN AT SHRI JAINBNDRA PRESS,
A-45 NARAINA, PHASE I, NEW DELHI 110028 AND PUBLISHED 81
NARENDRA PRAKASH JAIN FOR MOTILAL BANARSIDASS, DELHI 110 007

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

The purest gems lie hidden in the bottom of the ocean or in the
depth of rocks. One has to dive into the ocean or delve into the
rocks to find them out. Similarly, truth lies concealed in the
language which with the passage of time has become obsolete.
Man has to learn that language before he discovers that truth.

But he has neither the means nor the leisure to embark on
that course. We have, therefore, planned to help him acquire
knowledge by an easier course. We have started the series of
Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology in English Translation.
Our goal is to universalize knowledge through the most popular
international medium of expression. The publication of the
Puranas in English Translation is a step towards that goal.

This thirty-seventh volume in the series on Ancient Indian
Tradition and Mythology constitutes the first part ( Purvardha) of
the Vayu Parana of which the second part (Uttarardha) also is
in press and will follow shortly as the thirty-eighth volume.
This part contains the English translation of Chapters 1-61
comprising the first two Padas or Sections out of the total four
Pad as into which the Purana is divided, viz. Prakriya , Upodghdta,
Anusahga and Upasarhhara Padas.

The project of this series was envisaged in 1970 by the late
Lala Sundar Lai Jain of Messrs. Motilal Banarsidass. Thirty-
seven volumes of the series, including the present one, have so
far been published and others are in progress. Complete sets of
ten major Puranas, viz. Agni, Bhagavata, Brahma, Brahman&a,
Gam da, Kurma, Lihga , Ndrada , Sim and Varaha have already been
made available in English to the lovers of ancient Indian wis-
dom and it is hoped that this eleventh one, Vayu Purana, will
also be complete much before the end of the year.

The Vayu or Vayaviya Purana gets its name from the
Wind-god who is said to be its promulgator, and it is a Saiva
Parana in the sense that it has been composed for the propaga-
tion of devotion to and worship of god Siva. It discusses the
well known five topics of the Puranas, viz. creation, dissolution
and re-creation, genealogy of gods, sages etc., periods called
Manvantaras, and description of royal dynasties. In the present
part cosmogony is discussed in great detail and a good deal of
geographical material is found. The translation is preceded by
a long scholarly Introduction highlighting the salient features of
the Purana.

It is our pleasant duty to put on record our sincere thanks to
Dr. R. N. Dandekar and the UNESCO authorities for their
kind encouragement and valuable help which render this work
more useful than it would otherwise have been. We are extre-
mely grateful to Dr. G. V. Tagare for translating the text and
contributing the Introduction. We are also thankful to all those
who have been helpful in our project. — Editor

PREFACE

• 9

Vll

ABBREVIATIONS

m • *

Xlll

INTRODUCTION

xv

CHAPTERS

1 . Summary of Contents 1

2. A Sacrificial Session of Twelve Years 22

3. Origin of Creation 26

4. Origin of Creation (continued) 29

5. „ „ 37

6. „ „ 42

7. Transition between two Yugas (Ages) 51

8. Four Stages of Life 58

9. Creation of Devas and Others 76

10. Manvantaras 86

11. Paiupata Yoga 93

12. Evil Portents and Calamities in Yoga 98

13. Supreme Powers of Yoga 102

14. Pasupata Yoga 104

15. „ (continued) 108

16. Purity and Conduct of Life 1 10

17. Attainment of the Ultimate State of Life 112

18. Procedure of Expiation for Recluses (Sannyasins) 113

19. Evil Omens Foreboding Death 116

20. The Characteristics of Attainment of Omkara 119

21. Review of Kalpas 123

22. Number of Kalpas 130

Contents

23. Incarnations of Mahesvara 153

24. Hymn to Siva

25. Birth and Death of Madhu and Kaitabha 164

26. Origin of Sounds

27. Names and Bodies of the Great Lord 1/6

28. Families of Sages 162

29. Progency of Agni 165

30. The Curse of Daksa 1 9 1

3 1 . The Race of Devas 2 1 8

32. Characteristics of Yu gas 224

33. Progeny of Svayambhuva Manu 230

34. Geography of Jaihbudvipa 236

35. Jaihbudvipa (continued) 245

36. (Geographical) Arrangement of the World 249

37. Arrangement of the World (Valleys and Lakes ) 252

38. Valleys between Mountains 255

39. Abodes of Devas 261

40. Boundary and the Limits of Mount Devakuta 265

41. Description of Kailasa 267

42. The Divine Rivers 274

43. Description of Bhadrasva 280

44. Description of Ketumala 283

45. Description of Bharatavarsa 285

46. Description of Kirhpurusa Varsa 301

47. Descent of the Ganga 304

48. Countries of the J ambudvipa 311

49. Description of Plaksa Dvlpa and other Dvlpas 3 14

50. The Nether-worlds: Manifestation of the Luminaries 329

51. Movements of the Luminary Bodies 347

52. Movement of Dhruva 355

' ' •* .

53. Arrangement of Luminaries 362

54. Hymn to Nflakantha 373

55. Hymn to the Lihga of !§iva 383

Contents

56. Description ofPitrs 388

»N

57. The Cycle of Yugas: Their Characteristics 396

58. Description of the Four Yugas 408

59. Yugas and Glasses of People: Lineage of Sages 419

60. Description of Holy Places : The Death of $akalya 429

61. Lineage of Prajapati 436

fa

. s*.

ABBREVIATIONS

Common and self-evident abbreviations such as Ch (s) —
Chapter(s), p — page, pp — pages, V — Verse, W— Verses,
Ftn — footnote. Hist. Ind. Philo. — History of Indian Philosophy
are not included in this list.

ABORI

AGP

AIHT

Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute,
Poona

S. M. All’s The Geography of Purdnas, PPH, New
Delhi, 1973

Ancient Indian Historical Tradition, F. £. Pargiter,
Motilal Banarsidass (MLBD ) , Delhi
Ancient Indian Tradition and Mythology Series, MLBD,
Delhi

Arch.S.Rep.

AV

Bd. P.

BG

Bh. P.

Br.

BS. P.

BV. P.

CC

CVS

DB

Deor

GDAMI

Dh. S.

ERE

GP

Agni Purdna, Guru Mandal Edition (GM), Cal-
cutta, 1957

Archaeological Survey Report
Atharva Veda, Svadhyaya Mandal, Aundh
Brahmanda Parana, MLBD, Delhi 1973
Bhagavadgitd

Bhdgavata Purdna, Bhagavat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad
Brdhmana (preceded by name such as Satapatha)
Bhavisya Purdna, Vishnu Shastri Bapat, Wai
Brahma Vaivarta Purdna, GM, 1955-57
Caturvarga Gintamani by Hemadri
Carana Vy uha Sutra by Saunaka, Com. by Mahidasa
Devi Bhdgavata, GM, 1960-61
The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Media-
eval India, N. L. De, Oriental Reprint, Delhi, 1971
Dharma Sutra (preceded by the author’s name
such as Gautama)

Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics by Hastings
Garuda Purdna, ed. R. S. Bhattacharya, Chow-
khamba, Varanasi, 1964

XIV

Abbreviations

GS

HD

IA

rag,

jp

KA

KP

LP

Manu.

Mbh.

MkP

MN

MtP

MW

NP

PCK

Pd.P.

PE

PR or

PRHRC

RV

#

&at.Br.

SC or SMC
SEP

Gfhya Sutra ( preceded by the name of the author
such as Apastamba)

History of Dharma Sastra, P. V. Kane, G. O. S.

The Indian Antiquary

The Indian Historical Quarterly

Pur ana (Journal of the Kashiraj Trust) , Varanasi
Kaufilya ArthaSastra

Kurma Parana, Vehkatesvara Press Edn., Bom-
bay; also Kashiraj Trust Edn., Varanasi, 1971
Lihga Pur ana, GM, 1960; also MLBD, Delhi, 1981

Manusmrti

Mahdbhdrata , Gita Press, Gorakhpur, VS 2014
Mdrkan4eya Parana

Mahdbhdrata Ndmdnukramani , Gita Press, Gorakh-
pur, VS 2016
Matsya Puraya, GM, 1954

Monier Williams’ Sanskrit^ JSnglish Dictionary, MLBD,
Delhi, 1976

Ndradiya or Ndrada Parana, VehkafeSvara Press,
Bombay

Bharatavarsiya Prdcina Caritraho§a, Siddheshwar
Shastri, Poona, 1968
Padma Parana, GM, 1957-59

Purdnic Encyclopaedia, V. Mani, English version,
MLBD, Delhi, 1975

Puranic Records on Hindu Rites and Customs ,

R. G. Hazra, Calcutta, 1948
Rg-Veda, Svadhyaya Mandal, Aundh
Satapatha Brahmana
Smrti Candrikd by Devanna Bhatta
Studies in Epics and Pur anas, A.D. Pusalkar, Bhara-
tiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), Bombay

This close-cousin of the Bd. P. ( Brahmanda Purana) is one of
the oldest and authoritative Puranas. Nibandhakaras (writers on
Dharma-Sastra) like Apararka, Ballalasena, Devana Bhatta
profusely quote it on Sraddha^ Dana 5 Tirtha, Ahama etc., designa-
ting their source as c Vayaviya\ They use this term to imply this
Purana and not the c Vayaviya? Samhita in Siva Purana. It is called
‘Vayu 5 or ‘Vayaviya 5 as Vayu narrated it 1 to elucidate
Dharmas and the glory of Rudra and it pertains to Sveta
Kalpa. The Va. P. (Vayu Purana ) states that it consists of 1 2000
verses and is divided into four padas 2 .

The traditional division is into four parts {padas) of unequal
length, as can be seen below 3 :

I. Purvardha

1. PrakriyaPada (Ghs. 1-6)

2. Upodghata Pada (Chs. 7-64)

II. Uttar dr dha (Ghs. 1-3 of Upodghata Pada) and

3. Anusahga Pada (Ghs. 4-37)

4. Upasarhhdra Pada (Chs. 38-42 and includes

Gaya Mahatmya 43-50) .

A (Anandasrama edt. of the Va. P.) follows the older
tradition and does not divide the text into Purvardha and
Uttar at dha and gives the following break-up into four Padas :

1. Prakriya (Ghs. 1-6),

2. Upodghata (Ghs. 7-64) ,

1. Mt.P. 53.18, NP. I. 95, Devi Bhagavata 1.3.7, Va. P. 11.41.44-45,

2. evam dvadaia-sdhasram pwrairiam kavayo vidufji. //
yatha vedai catu§padah ....

catuspadamm surdnam tu brahmam vihitarh purd //

■— Va. P. I. 32.63b-64.

According to Venkateshwar Press edition.

Introduction

xvi

Anusahga (Chs. 65-99),

4 Upasarhhara (Chs. 100-112)

3.

T U- k M t.un the problem of spilling over three chapters

In t is r ’p, go 63 64 in A) into Uttarardha (as

of Upodghata Pada (Chs. b2, oo, o* j

Phs 1-3) does not arise.

v J„„r text (Venkateshwar Press Edition) states that the

«ded into four N*. “

rfpocifically confirm i. and sum that Vayu-god B ns

"^'^he Wind-god himself. has narrated this popular Purajra

consisting of fom P.dos, via. Pr*.>J the first seet.on vrher.

eons g o Padas or Sections being) ,

the story is taken up (toe otner ra 44 _ 45 .

Anusahga, Upodghata and Upasamhara.

The division of the Purana into Purvdrdha and Uttarardha is

of a later date.

The original Va. P. ended withCh. 41 of Uttarardha (Ch. 103
in A) . The sages who listened to Suta’s narration of the Va_ P.
expressed their satisfaction at the narration of the Va. . ey
gratefully honoured the Suta. The end of the narration of the
Purana and the conclusion of the sacrificial session {Satra) .at
Naimisaranya synchronised. The sacrifices lia ^ ‘ h f ir J a C 1C ‘
tory (Avabhrtha) bath and they went to heaven (11.41.42).

The last redactor of this Purana exhorts his listeners to
worship deities, perform sacrifices and go to heaven at the end
of the life (H.41.43).

The same chapter traces the genealogy of teachers who
transmitted the text of the Va. P. from god Brahma to Suta
and Samsapayana (11.41.58-66). After stating the e fruit of
listening to this Purana (Phala-sruti) and laying down prohibi-
tion of the transmission of the Purana to undeserving persons,

lj prakriya prathame pSde katha-vastu-parigrahah /
anufanga upodghdtci upds&jhh&rci eva ca. / /
evam etac catuspadam puraij.am loka-sammatam /
uvaca bhagavan sdksad vdyur loka-hite' ratah //

-Va. P. 11.41.44-45

Introduction xv jj

the author concludes the Parana with salutations 1 to the Lord
Mahesvara (11.41.73).

As shown in the notes to 11.42, that chapter is a later accre-
tion as it conies after Phala-Sruti , accepts Adhyasavada (w. BO-
31) of Sankara (c. 650-725 A.D.), quotes from the Spanda-
karika of Vasugupta (c. 825 A.D.) and advocates Kashmiri
Trika-Saivism (v.33), brings in Radha-Krsna cult (w.44-45)
and Vyasa’s dejection after completing (so called) eighteen
Puranas 2 which is an echo of Bh. P. 1.4.26-31 and subsequent
chapters (I. 5 & 6) . One wonders why the Agni P. , Visnu
P. and Lihga P . which are uniformly found in the standard

lists of Puranas are deleted here and one 6 Adi PurdncC is added
to the list.

About the number of verses, no criticism is necessary as
these Purana-writers depend on hearsay or traditional informa-
tion in this matter and did not count the verses. It may how-

1 . tam deva-devam j an an am j an an am

varam varanarii varadam mahcsvaram,

Brahmanam adim prayato namasye / /

— Va. P. 11.41. 73

2. Though the traditional number eighteen of Mahapuranas is
mentioned in the text ? actually only sixteen Puranas are e n um erated as
follows : (Total number of verses in each is given within brackets after
the name of the Purana. )

1. Matsya (14000),

2. Bhavisya (14500),

3. Markandeya (9000),

4. Brahma-vaivarta (18000),

5. Brahmanda (12100),

6. Bhagavata (18000),

7. Brahma (10000) ,

8. Vamana (10000),

9. Adi-Purana (?) (10600),

10. Vayu (23000),

11. Naradiya (23000),

12. Garucia (19000),

13. Padma (55000)

14. Kurma (17000),

15. Varaha (24000),

16. Skanda (81900).

— Va.P.II.42.3-1 h

XV1X1

Introduction

ever be argued that these numbers of verses actually existe
then in the MSS of Puranas available to those Purana redactors.
Gaya-mahatmya (II, Ghs. 43-50) is obviously an interpolation.
The motive of this interpolation may be synthesising Saivism
and Vaisnavism. The Va. P. mainly advocates Saivism and to
counter-balance it, Gaya-mahatmya which emphasizes Vaisnavism
appears to have been added here. This mahatmya has a nominal,
tenuous connection with the Vayu P. only the first verse o
the Mahatmya is attributed to Vayu. The real interlocutors are

Narada and Sanatkumara.

Moreover a considerable number of verses are common to
this Gaya Mahatmya and those in the Mbh., Vana, Ghs. 84-95,
NP, Uttarabhaga, Ghs. 44-47; GP, Chs. 82-86; AP, 114-116;
K.P, 11.35. It shows that there must have been an independent
work called the Gaya Mahatmya from which these Puranas

borrowed these verses.

2. THE EXTENT

'phg following total numbers of verses are attributed to the
Va. P. by Anukramanl-writers of Puranas :

• M jf-V rf-fc

(1) Devi Bhagavata 1.3.7 24600

(2) Mt. P. 53.18 94000

(3) NP 1.95.2

(4) AP 272. 4-5 14000

(5) Va.P. I. 32.63 12000

Actually however, there are 10991 verses 1

These differences may be due to the difference in the time
of the last redaction of these Puranas and/ or the availability of
different Puranic texts to these Anukramanl-writers. It may
also be due to the actual difference in the contents of the Va.P.
before these writers.

We do not know the contents of the Va. P. mentioned in
the Mbh. Vana 191.16 but NP 1.95 gives the detailed contents
of the Va. P. According to it, the first part of the Va. P. con-
tained the story of killing of Gayasura and the glory of different

1 - K

1. A. Poona and GM Calcutta editions of the Va.P. I used these
editions while writing on the Bd. P.

Introduction

xix

months and the second part has Reva-Mahatmya — details not
found in to-day’s editions of the Va. P. Eggeling’s Catalogue
shows that the Laksmi-Samhita once formed a part of the Va.
P. ( MS No. 3599) . It, however, appears that although these
parts of Va. P. became separate as independent works in due
course, they have preserved the name of the Va. P. as their
original source in the colophons as follows :

( 1 ) Vdyu-purdndntargata-Revd-Mdhatmyam /

(2) iti §ri-Vdyu-Purane La ksmi-Samhi tdydm

dnanda-kanana-mdhdtmye

3. POSITION IN THE MAHAPURAN AS

The Problem :

Mt. P. (53.18), NP (1.95), DB (1.3.7) and AP (274.4-5)
regard Va. P. as a Maha-Purana implying its fourth place in
the list of Mahapuranas. But Bh. P. (XII. 7.23 ff.) , LP (1.36.
6 1 ff ) , Brahma-V aivarta (III.l 33 . 1 4ff) , Markandeya (137. 8ff)
and VP (III.6. 2 Iff) do not mention Va. P. in their list of
Mahapuranas, but substitute Siva Purana instead of Va. P.
KP 1.1.13-15 includes both Va. P. and Siva P. in its list of
nineteen Mahapuranas 1 .

The problem is which of the two has a better claim to be
the fourth Mahapurana, as majority is not the criterion in such
matters 2 .

The consensus of these Puranas (or rather Anukramani-
writers) about the fourth Mahapurana is that :

• (I) It consists of two parts and 24000 verses, and

(II) Is declared by Vayu (Wind-god) with reference
to Sveta-Kalpa. NP which gives 4th place to Va.
P. in the list of Mahapuranas states its contents
also. It includes the five characteristics {pahca4aksana)

Mtmm —w i n ii.iii.i.i.

1. The text need not be strained and interpreted “and the eighteenth
Vayaviya called also Brahman<Ja” in order to stick to the traditional
number eignteen. Pur an a- writers are not very particular in such matters.
For example, our text(Va. P. II. 42.2-11) records that Vyasa wrote 18
Puranas but the list actually contains only sixteen Puranas.

2. M. Wintemitz, Calcutta Review , December 1924, p. 330.

ii

Introduction

XX

Of Puranas, the story of Gayasura in the first part,
Mdsa-Mdhatmya especially that of the month of ag a,
Dana-dharmas, Rdja-dharmas, Vratas (religious obser-
vances) etc. The second part {Uttar a-bhdga) describes
Reva Mahatmya and Siva Mahatmya.

Let us consider whether Siva Purana satisfies these

1 Out of the seven Saihhitas of Siva Purana, only
one Samhita — Vayaviya S&mhita — is declared by Vayu. Hence
the whole of Siva Purana cannot claim to be declared by
Vayu, and thus claim fourth place in the heirarchy of Maha-

puranas .

2. Vayaviya Sarhhitd which claims to have been narrat-
ed by Vayu with reference to Sveta Kalpa 1 (as in the case of
Va. P.) cannot claim to be the 4th Mahapurana for the

following reasons :

(A) Vayaviya Samhita does not satisfy the Pafica-laksana
criterion of a Mahapurana while Va. P. does (vide' Fa.
P. as a Mahapuram’).

(B) Vayaviya Sarhhitd consists of 4000 verses only. Va. P.
is nearer the mark to deserve the traditional epithet
dv&daSa-sdhasri sarhhitd, (a text with 12000 verses).

(C) Vayaviya Samhita. does not contain the Gayasura
episode in the Purvardha or the Reva Mahatmya in
the Uttarardha.

An extra-textual and hence extraneous argument to support
the claim of Vdyaviya Sarhhitd is advanced as follows :

Sridhara in his Com. onBh. P. 1.1.4 quotes the following
verse giving the etymology of the word Naimisa :

Saivam tatra puranam vai
caturartham sapta-samhitam /

— Vayaviya Samhita

1 . 1.58

vahsyami paramam puny am veda-

sammitam /

iveta-kalpa-prasangena vayuna

kathitampura
--•Vayaviya Samhita.

1 . 1 . 22 - 23 .

Introduction

xxi

tathd ca vayaviye :
etan manoramarh cakrarh
maya srstam visrjyate /
yatrasya ttryate nemih
sa ddas tapasah iubhah //

Our text (Va. P. I. 2.7) has the following verse to explain the
etymology of Maimisa.

bhramato dharmacakrasya yatra

nemir atiryata /

karmana tena vikhydtarh

naimisam munipujitam / /

It is true that Srldhara’s quotation is found in Vayaviya
Sarhhita (1.2.88) . But in olden times, people depended more
on memory and did not care to give actual references to MS —
Pustakastha vidya — every now and then. Srldhara, being a
human being, mixing up of references of similar verses is highly
probable. It is equally probable that the MS of Va. P. before
Srldhara had a verse with different readings.

I, however, do not understand how a verse incidentally giving
the etymology of ‘Naimisa’ is going to refute the strong textual
evidence against the position of Vayaviya Sarhhita .

The presumption that at the time of Srldhara (1300-1400
A.D.) Siva Purana completely eclipsed Vayu Pur ana and that
people regarded Vayaviya Sarhhita as Vayu Pur ana need not be
seriously considered. For Mibandhakdras and commentators on
Smrtis from the time of Apararka quote from Vayu Parana in
preference to Siva Parana and these ‘Vayaviya? quotations are
traceable to Vayu Parana only and not to Vayaviya Sarhhita .
And a number of these Nibandhakaras are from the region of
Srldhara Svamin. 1

The testimony of these Nibandha-writers disproves the
above presumption. Nor should Srldhara be accused of confus-
ing Vayv Parana and Vayaviya Sarhhita when the whole
galaxy of writers on Dharma Sastra and commentators on

1 . For the verses quoted from Vayu Puraya or Vayaviya by the Nibandha-
karas, see Appendix to R.C. Hazra’s article ‘The Vayu Purana*, IHQ^
XIV, 2, pp. 337-339. The list of these Dharma Sastra writers includes
Apararka, Ballalasena, Kulluka Bhafta, Devana Bhafta and others.

Introduction

XXJ1

Smrtis are definite about the distinction between the two

The "enormous amount of Tantric Saiva ritual in Siva
Purana and quotations from a late writer like Vasugupta (circa
825 A.D.) show there had been a lot of late accretion to Siva
Purana. Vayu like Brahmanda touches the beginning of
the Gupta dynasty (500 A.D.). It will thus be seen that the
evidence about the fourth position in the list of Mahapuranas
tilts in favour of Vayu Purana.

4. TRANSMISSION OF THE TEXT

VaJP. 11.41.58-66 gives the following line of transmission
of this text:

God Brahma Matarisvan (Wind-god) Usanas ->
Brhaspati Savitr Mftyu (god of Death) -> Indra ->
Vasistha-* Sarasvata-»T ridhaman-* Saradvata — > Trivistapa — >
Antariksa->Trayyaruna~>Dhanahj aya-^Krtanj aya -*Tpianjaya
~>Bharadvaja->Gautama->Niryyantara-->Vajasravas -> Soma->

Susma-^Trnabindu-^Daksa-^ §akti->Para sara (while in womb)
-~>Jatukarna-->Dvaipayana ( Vyasa)-*Suta (Romaharsana) .

There are two surprising yet similar transmissions. ( 1) Sakti
was the son of Vasistha. But Sakti did not receive this Purana
directly from his father Vasistha. Fifteen generations of teachers
or contemporary teachers had to intervene for its transmission
when the father (Vasistha) could have directly transmitted it
to his son ( Sakti) . Similarly Parasara did not teach the Purana
to Dvaipayana (Vyasa) but to Jatukarna who taught it to
Vyasa. The birth story of Vyasa explains why Paralara was not
available to Vyasa. But the need of fifteen teachers intervening
between Vasistha and his legitimate son Sakti is inexplicable.

This very list of transmission of Bd. P. is given in Bd. P.
III. iv. 4. 58-66.

5. VAYU as a mahApurana

The division of this ancient Purana was originally into four
sections (Padas) } viz. Prakriyd , Anusanga , Upodghata and Upasam-
hara (I.i.4. 12-14) . But due to the popularity of Panca-lahsana

Introduction xkxu

theory at the time of the last redaction the verse 1 enumerating
the five characteristics ( laksanas ) of the Pur an a, viz.

(1) Sarga (Creation of the Universe),

(2) Pratisarga (Dissolution and recreation of the Universe),

( 3) Varhla (Genealogies of gods, the Patriarchs, the Sun,
the Moon etc.),

(4) Manvantaras (Aeons presided over by Manus),

( 5) VarhSanucarita ( Accounts of dynasties of different ruling
families),

precedes (I.i.4.10) the older classification

I. Sarga — Creation of the Universe
We find the following theories of creation in this Purana:

(i) THE VEDANTIC-SANKHYA THEORY

The creation starts with the principle called Mahat and ends
with Viiesa i.e. the differentiation amongst the five elements on
the grossest plane of matter. 2 But the source of the Universe is
the eternal Brahman, beginningless and endless, unborn, in-
comprehensible. It was in the beginning and it pervaded the
entire Universe which was enveloped in darkness (was un-
manifest), the Gunas being in the state of equilibrium.

MM

Brahman is also called Atman.

At the beginning of creation Ksetrajna (the Supreme
Deity) presided over Pradhana , agitated the gunas and the
principle Mahat was evolved. When the Sattva-guna became
dominant in Mahat , the psychic subtle body was evolved
and was presided over by Ksetrajna . The Purana gives popular
etymologies of the synonyms of Brahman, Ksetrajna etc. — a
sort of samanvaya of different current terms and theories. When
Mahat is impelled (by God’s will) , it creates this great
Universe — Sahkalpa (thought-power) and Adhyavasaya (deter-
mination) are his two tendencies (vrtti-dvayam) (I.i.4.16ff) .

1. This verse is found in AP 1.14, Bd. P. I.i.37b-38, BS.P.I.2.4.5,
GP L215.14, KPI.i.12 to mention a few Puranas. Amara Simha (5th cent.
A.D.) records it in his Koto 1.6.5. Curiously enough the Purana texts
handed down to us hardly conform to this definition ( The Hist, and Culture
of Indian People Vol. Ill, p. 292).

2. V.S. Agrawala, Mt.P. — A Study , pp. 41-43; also vv. 61-62 below.

xxiv

Introduction

This Sahkhya-Vedanta synthesis in the theory of creation is
found in other Puranas also, e,g. AP 17.2-26, Bd. P. I.i.3.6ff,
KPL2.3ff.

(ii) THE PURANIC THEORY

Ksetrajna called Brahma awoke in the Cosmic Egg. He
is the first embodied being. He is the creator of all B hut as
( elements or beings) . This four-headed Hiranyagarbha is the
Ksetrajna both at the time of creation and destruction of the
Universe.

This Cosmic Egg contains seven worlds, the earth along
with its seven continents, oceans — everything including the
Sun, the Moon, Stars, both Loka and A-Loka. From outside,
the Cosmic Egg is enveloped with seven sheaths 1 — the first
four consisting of four elements, viz. water, fire, wind and
ether — akafa, each sheath being ten times bigger than the
former and three more sheaths consisting of Bhutadi , Mahat
and the Unmanifest Pradhana .

This Avyakta (Unmanifest) it called Ksetra and Brahma is
called Ksetrajna . This Prakrta-sarga is presided over by Brahma.
The creation took place without pre-planning {abuddhipurvaka)
like a flash of lightening (I.i.4.68-78) .

(iii) THE SANKHYA THEORY

The Vedanta, Sankhya and Puranic theories are mixed up
here. A clear analysis shows that Prdkrta Sarga is creation from
Prakrit . The Theistic Sankhya position is more explicitly stated
in the next chapter (I.i.5) as follows : —

Before the creation of the Universe there was lay a (equili-
brium) of all Gu#as. In the Unmanifest — Avyatka—sdl Gu$as lay
potentially like ghee in milk. The great Lord, by His Yogic
power created disequilibrium of the gunas and the trinity of
gods, Brahma (from rajas ), Fire or Rudra (from Tamas ) and
Visnu (from Sat tv a) are created. It is the Lord who divides
Himself into three for these functions.

Introduction

XXV

(iv) THE NINE CREATIONS OF BRAHMA

A more popular Puranic theory is explained in the next
chaptet (I.i.6) :

At the beginning there was one vast ocean — (. Ekarnava also
called maharnava or yuganta-toya ‘water at the end of Yuga’ in
other Puranas). This primeval Ekarnava expresses the unmani-
fest cause of the Universe (called K dr ana Brahman by Nilaka-
ntha in HarivamJa P. 3.9. 1-4). Brahma named Narayana
with a thousand (innumerable) heads slept there for a thousand
Yugas. At the end of the night, Brahma assuming the form of
the wind moved over the ocean for reconnaissance and discovered
the earth as lying within the water. He assumed the form of a
boar to lift it — a belief as old as Tait.Br. 1.2. 1-3. The beautiful
description of the boar in Yaj ha terminology found herein is
given in other Puranas also (e.g. Bm. P. 213.33-42, Bh. P. III.
13.34-39)and even Sankara adopted it in Visnu-sahasra-nama 110. 1
After uplifting the earth. He re-arranged the mountains, oceans
as before, as at the beginning of every Kalpa (I.i.6.27-32). When
Brahma consciously (buddhi-purvaka) began to meditate, Avidya
with its five ‘knots’, viz .Tamas (ignorance), Moha (delusion),
Mahamoha (great delusion) and others unfolded itself and
immobile ( mukhya or sthavara) creation took place. Being dis-
satisfied with it, Brahma began to meditate and created the
lower creatures and animal-world called tiryaksrotas as it
functioned ‘obliquely’ and was Tamasika and ignorant. Not
being satisfied, he created the third Sattvika or divine creation
of gods (called here urdhvasrotas) (vv. 33-48).

Later, Brahma created the ‘down-currented’ ( arvaksrotas )
reation of human beings, Gandharvas, of Rajas and Tamas
yet capable of achieving knowledge(vv. 49-52). The fifth creation
is called Anugraha Sarga (the favoured creation). It is of four
types through Viparyaya (contrariety?), Sakti (power), Tutfi
(satisfaction) and Siddhi (achievement). These creatures have
the knowledge of the past and the present (v. 53). The sixth
(repeated as the eighth creation) creation is Bhutadi (of elements
and Tanmatras?). The Purana gives three more creations, viz.

1. Vide Fns. on p. 45 infra.

Introduction

(7) the creation of Mahat, ( 8) the creation of Tanmatras also
called Bhutasarga (as 6 above) and (9) the Vaikdrika Sarga

(evolutes ofPrakrti) perceptible by senses.

In summary, the author calls the last three as Prdkfta
(Primary) and the first set (Mukhya to Anugraha) as Vaikrta
(Secondary). The Purana mentions the creation of mental sons
( Kaumara creations) eg. of Sanaka, Sanandana who however
refused to participate in creation (vv.65-66). The Rgvedic
idea of creation of Varnas from the parts of Brahma s body is
also repeated (v.71) .

Thus the theories of creation (Chs. 3-6) show the influence
of Theistic Sankhya, Vedanta and Puranic lore.

II. Pratisargaor Pratyahara (. Dissolution and Recreation)

The theories are scattered over I.ii.7 and II.iv.40-41 ,
They may be summarised as follows :

v

Dissolution is of four types :

(1) JVitya — usual,

(2) Naimittika — periodical,

(3) Prdkrtika — of Prakrti, the primordial and

(4) Atyantika — Final or absolute

(cf. KP II.45.1-10; VP 1.7.41-43, VI.3.2 ff.)

Out of these (1) Mitya Pralaya is the daily disappearance of
the world in darkness while Atyantika Pralaya takes place in the
case of individuals who obtain spiritual knowledge (I.ii.7. 38,
Il.iv. 40. 41-45) . (2 ) Naimittika Pralaya takes place at the end
of the Kalpa (i.e. one thousand sets of four Yugas), when god
Brahma absorbs the creation within himself by creating drought,
Samvartaka fires and heavy downpour creating one vast sheet
of water. He becomes one with a thousand heads, feet, eyes.
He sleeps in the Ekarnava ( Cosmic waters) for a period of the
same duration as the day and re-creates the Universe de novo
(I.ii.7. 40-65) (3) Prdkrtika Pralaya takes place at the end

of god Brahma’s life. When the time of this dissolution
(Pratyahara) arrives, evolutes ofPrakrti from Vises as to Mahat
are destroyed. Thus the earth gets burnt up, water swallows
up the special quality viz. smell, of the earth and is absorbed